Friday Five: Music to my ears

The last ice cream van at the edge of the world by Curly

The other weekend we went for a run in what turned out to be the heat of the midday sun. We weren't deliberately being Mad Dogs and Englishmen, but various events meant that was just the way it was. It was the middle of a heatwave (five days of temperatures over 37 degrees) and we ran out of water. It wasn't meant to take so long, but the last two kilometres took me 20 minutes. I was breaking out in a cold sweat and felt nauseous and dizzy. 

When we returned to the carpark I was guzzling the water we had in the car when I heard the tinkling of an ice-cream van. At first I thought I was hallucinating but no, the vehicle appeared playing a distorted version of Greensleeves and I was soon eating a cool, sweet treat that picked me back up and refreshed me after my endeavours. Never before have I been so happy to hear that ghastly tune, and it made me think there are certain musical interludes which have special connotations and for which I will always be grateful.

Yes, the photographer chopped our heads off, but see how we look like we know what we're doing!

5 Tunes I will never tire of hearing:

1. The Gay Gordons - I'm not a fan of bagpipes unless they're played in Scotland and played well. This, however, was the first dance I ever danced with Him Outdoors as we met in Edinburgh and went to a ceilidh at Hogmonay, and so it was our wedding dance. I insisted that my sisters get everyone up dancing as soon as possible as we didn't want to be left out there like a pair of numpties and I figured that however drunk you are, you can dance to this, even if your waltzing is appalling.
2. You'll Never Walk Alone - goosebumps for obvious reasons
3. The British National Anthem - when they play that as they raise the union flag, my heart stirs. I know some people (i.e. Billy Connolly and all his disciples) think it's a dirge and would prefer the theme tune to The Archers, but I feel pride in my country when I hear it from military honours to medal ceremonies.
4. The theme tune to The Archers - reminds me of my mum and the happier aspects of my childhood.
5. Debaser by The Pixies - my best mate and I had a pact at university - whenever this came on in the club we would have to dance no matter what we were doing. I got so much whiplash from that song and I love it!

Quick Quintet: You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

There is a lot of music that I love and a lot of bands that have shaped my life. We all have an inner soundtrack and The Jam, The Pogues, The Smiths, The Damned, The Cure, Pulp, Blur and Oasis all feature highly on mine. 

You know how it is - there are certain songs that no matter where you are or what you're doing, or how tired you are, you just have to get up and dance. They may not even be your favourites, but they have a certain rhythm or connotations that cannot be ignored. I blame other people for most of them...

5 Songs I Have to Dance to:

1. Debaser - The Pixies; Manchester Academy and anywhere in Manchester when I was a student with the Essex Girl - those were the days, my friend...
2. Baggy Trousers - Madness; doesn't everyone our age? It's guaranteed to turn any do into a flashback to the primary school disco
3. Groove is in the Heart - Deee-Lite; Thermal Girl is entirely to blame for this one
4. White Riot - The Clash; not played very often, but for years this was my Friday-night-going-out-song. It's fast, furious, frenetic and gets me every time
5. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses; partly the fault of Our Man in London, I remember a particular gig in 1987, and it fires up my inner rock-chick